Flagship OnePlus 3T replaces not-so-old OnePlus 3

It took only half a year for OnePlus to discontinue its best-ever phone and add a “T” to its immediate successor. Welcome the OnePlus 3T, a somewhat faster and better-equipped OnePlus 3.

The plain OnePlus 3 was very well-received and has been in demand since it’s launch last June, so it’s a surprise to see it scrapped so soon. We did our own unboxing and hands-on of the handset, and we were wholly impressed.

Changes are actually quite minor; so much so that the newer model looks identical to its predecessor. Some fans may be turned off by the higher price tag, but the updated internal hardware hopes to justify the slight increase.

Shelling out $439 for the 64GB storage variant or $479 on the 128GB storage model (both have 6GB of memory) gives you a faster chipset in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (compared to the original’s Snapdragon 820), a jump to a 3400mAh battery from capacity of 3000mAh, and double the front camera’s resolution at 16 megapixels.

Looks exactly the same as the original

The only glaring omission is Android’s seventh-generation Nougat operating system, meaning you get the same old 6.0 Marshmallow the older OnePlus 3 has. The company promises a Nougat rollout for both phones by the end of the year, so you’ll have to make do with whatever refinements OxygenOS is offering this time around.

That’s pretty much it; no waterproofing, improved rear camera, or curved display has been added. This is obviously OnePlus’ way of milking its third-generation design before a real successor comes out next year.

And yet, the decision to replace a flagship phone so soon — a fantastic one at that — and offer something more expensive undercuts the company’s own strategy of offering a high-end product at the most affordable price possible.

The same fast-charging technology and fingerprint scanner are still here

Still, critics will appreciate the bump up in specs, specifically the battery’s capacity. As you may or may not know, the only knock most reviews have against the OnePlus 3 was its less-than-stellar battery life. Any sort of upgrade without finding a way to ruin it, like adding a higher-resolution display or making it much thicker, is sweet music to our ears.

Before we forget, there’s also a new color: Gunmetal. That should help distinguish the newer model from the older one — okay, not really. You can get a hold of it beginning November 22 in the US or November 28 in Europe.

[irp posts=”2997″ name=”OnePlus 3 has almost everything you want in a smartphone, including a very attractive price”]

Engineer builds glitter bomb with stinky farts for package thieves

There are times when the receiver of a package is away, it’s just placed on the doorstep. This opens a chance for thieves to steal unprotected goods. Stealing is not cool, but instead of simply relying on the police, a former NASA engineer built something to teach thieves a lesson.

After a couple stole his package one afternoon, Mark Rober decided to create a device that would deliver an ultimate prank. Disguised as an Apple HomePod box, the carefully engineered creation is equipped with four cellular-connected LG G5 phones to record videos in 360 degrees. The phones let Mark see the spectacle of a glitter bomb that showers in all directions. Not only that, but it also fumes a stinky scent using a fart spray. 👀

It’s a harmless way to send a colorful and strong scented message. The only damage is the large amount of glitter that needs to be thoroughly cleaned.

Lenovo Z5 Pro GT makes every other phone look sad

There are phones that surprise us; there are others that simply want to watch the smartphone landscape burn.

Lenovo launched the Z5 Pro GT, and it definitely deserves that overly long moniker. Not only is it the first smartphone to be powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 855 SoC, but it’s also equipped with a whopping 12GB of memory and 512GB of storage.

It doesn’t stop there: The Z5 Pro GT makes use of a slider mechanism similar to what Xiaomi implemented on the Mi Mix 3. This houses the 16- and 8-megapixel selfie camera setup under the slider, as well as the 16- and 24-megapixel shooters on the rear.

Coupled with a 6.39-inch 1080p AMOLED display with an under-display fingerprint scanner, the Z5 Pro GT demolishes most handsets launched in 2018. Even more impressive? The pricing!

Believe it or not, the max memory and storage configuration mentioned earlier retails for only CNY 4,398 or approximately US$ 640. This can lower itself to CNY 3,398 (US$ 495) for the 8GB+256GB variant, CNY 2,998 (US$ 435) for the 8GB+128GB model, or CNY 2,698 (US$ 390) for 6GB+128GB.

There are only a few downsides to this product. One, it doesn’t offer 5G connectivity despite having a compatible chipset; it may be because of the phone’s early release happening in January. Two, its battery capacity is only at 3350mAh, which is below-average for something that packs so much power.

All this info may not even matter to most consumers. Unless you reside in China or have access to reliable online retailers, chances are slim that you’ll see this outside of its homeland.

Microsoft is finally launching the Surface Go in more Asian markets

The Surface Go is the latest and most affordable Surface product from Microsoft that runs on Windows 10. It is an affordable offering to take on tablets from Apple and Samsung. The 2-in-1 device competes against the likes of the Apple iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy S4 Tab.

Microsoft has partnered with Flipkart for online sales with introductory offers, including INR 4,000 off on Type Cover, free Hungama Play subscription worth INR 799, and discount offers from Thomas Cook and Kaya Clinic.

The 2-in-1 comes with a 10-inch LCD display that has an aspect ratio of 3:2. Like all other Surface products, it supports use of the Surface Pen for creative as well as note-taking purposes. It is 8.3mm thin and weighs just 520 grams.

Powering the Surface Go is a 7th-generation Intel Pentium Gold Processor coupled with Intel HD Graphics 615. The company claims it can offer up to nine hours of battery life with moderate usage and also houses a microSDXC card slot for memory expansion.

On the rear is an 8-megapixel camera while the front has a 5-megapixel sensor for video calls. It also includes Windows Hello for quick authentication. Charging is done via a Surface Connect port along with a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack.

The portable machine is built to perform every task a normal Windows 10 computer can, offering increased flexibility and reliability when on the go. Though, this laptop-cum-tablet is built for light tasks like mails, browsing, streaming, and writing.